T is for tomato

T is for tomato. These vibrant, sweet and juicy nutritious handfuls of flavour are often popular with little ones… thankfully! Tomatoes are delicious either raw or cooked and cherry tomatoes are an excellent snack food for kids on the move.

Incredibly versatile, tomatoes can be included in sandwiches, wraps, pasta sauces, soups, salads – the potential is endless! They can also be enjoyed alongside nutritious dips – like our zesty hummus and beetroot hummus recipes.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tomatoes are actually a fruit?! This is because the tomato has seeds and grows from a flowering plant – therefore it is classed as a fruit not a vegetable.

The majority of tomato varieties are red however other varieties include green, yellow, orange, pink, black, brown, white, and purple.

In 2013, the heaviest tomato grown according to Guinness World Record weighed 3.51 kg… WOW!

Tomatoes originated in the South American Andes, where Peru is now and was first used as a food by the Aztec’s in Southern Mexico.

Cooked tomatoes are actually healthier for you than when eaten raw because the heat allows more beneficial chemicals to be released.

WHY ARE TOMATOES SO GOOD FOR YOU?

1- Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that is good for heart health and effective against certain cancers.

2- A great source of vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant that promotes overall skin health and immune function.

3- They contain a good amount of Vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting.

4- Tomatoes are rich in folate, or vitamin B9, which is essential for normal cellular function and tissue growth. This makes tomatoes a great dietary choice for pregnant mums.

5- It also contains good amounts of potassium, which is an essential mineral, beneficial for blood pressure control and heart disease prevention

Below we have a fun tomato food craft idea for tomato flowers, as well as a delicious and simple tomato pasta recipe. They are fun ways to celebrate tomato, to talk about their texture, their taste and why they are so good for us and important in our diets!

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